The Silent Wood
by tinyrobotlover
Summary: Months into their war with the Skeleton King, the Hyper Force find themselves on a strange new planet with an unnerving silence to it. Secrets surface under the shadows of the trees. Eyes are always watching. Ears are always listening. Who can be trusted?
1. Landing

**First time writing for SRMTHFG! We'll see how this turns out...**

* * *

His head slammed into the wall, making his vision blur for a brief moment. Shaking off the pain, he faced his attacker and transformed his hands into weapons. "Was that supposed to hurt?" he taunted.

His attacker smirked at him, making his heart skip a beat, and threw another hard punch his way.

He dodged—barely—and sent a ball of magnetic energy flying her way. It was low impact, of course, but it still had enough force to push her back.

"Sparx!" The yellow monkey yelled. "You're supposed to be on the offensive here! So why am I the only one really attacking?" She slammed her fists into the ground in front of him.

SPRX jumped out of the way and grinned. "Just waiting for the right time to make my move."

"Well, you better make it soon before- OW!" Nova crashed to the floor after being tripped halfway through the motion of kicking her teammate in the face. She looked up to see two large, glowing magnets only inches from her snout with a grinning, red-furred monkey looking back at her.

Her eyes widened in horror as her mind transported her back a few months to the time when SPRX had been tainted by the Fire of Hate and enslaved to the will of Skeleton King. "Sparx?" she whispered, suddenly afraid she had lost him again.

SPRX retracted his magnets, smiling smugly. "See? Told you I was the monkey with the moves." He chuckled proudly.

Nova pushed herself up and walked away a little too quickly.

SPRX's brow furrowed in confusion. "Nova? You okay?" he asked timidly. He knew it was dangerous to ask anything that might lead her to believe he doubted her courage.

"I'm fine," she answered without looking at him.

"Hey," SPRX said softly. "You can talk to me. Did I…" he didn't want to ask. "I, uh… I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Nova put on a brave face before turning to look at him. "What, me?" She grinned and waved him off. "Nah. You'd have to try a lot harder than that to hurt me."

"Uh, yeah," the red monkey replied, trying to keep his thoughts from returning to the dark day that plagued his dreams every night.

Nova stepped up to him and gave him a light punch in the arm. "We're cool, Sparky."

SPRX smiled at her. "You know I hate that nickname."

Nova shrugged. "You know I don't care."

"Heh. But, uh, there's something I wanted to say. I… I didn't-"

The alarm went off in the training room as Chiro's voice rang over the loudspeakers. "Monkey Team to the control room. Repeat, Monkey Team to control room."

All monkeys, from wherever they had been, dropped what they were doing and ran. The war with Skeleton King had been non-stop since his return. His attacks were savage, his power great, and his rekindled hatred toward the Hyper Force was enough to keep them all glancing over their shoulders.

They thought he had been tough before, but now, even with allies from across the cosmos gathered to assist them, they were struggling to survive. They were all tired and hungry with no time to rest and little food to eat. The super robot was running on fumes and everyone was on edge.

The monkeys bounded into the room, eyes immediately focusing in on their leader.

Chiro's back was to them. He and Gibson were staring at the monitor with rapt interest. "We're landing the robot," he stated.

"This planet is rich in ore that can be converted into energy to power the super robot," the blue monkey chimed in. "Unfortunately, this sector has been vastly influenced by the Skeleton King in the past. We've no way of knowing whether or not the inhabitants of the land will be friendly toward us."

Landing the robot to refuel had quickly become one of the Hyper Force's most stressful activities in the war. They had to be on constant alert and typically took turns scouting out their surroundings before they even considered preparing the robot to receive its fuel.

"Nova," Chiro said. "It's your turn to take point. You'll leave as soon as we touch down."

Nova nodded, taking note of how much Chiro had grown in such a short time. His determination to stop their enemy had developed to the point of needing reminders to relax. He was all business most of the time. He rarely smiled anymore.

The monkey went to their stations without a word being said. They prepared to land, monitoring the robot's system, scanning for signs of life, checking radiation levels in the ground and oxygen levels in the atmosphere. They did systems checks to look for any weakness in the robot's armor that might need repairing, they checked, rechecked and readied their weapons system. Then they held their breath as they slowly but surely made contact with solid ground below them.

Nova headed for the transport tube that would allow her to exit the robot from the ground. SPRX quickly fell in behind her.

It had become an understood fact that wherever Nova went, SPRX would accompany her. Antauri had questioned him on his growing protectiveness of her, realizing that it stemmed from his actions while influenced by the Fire of Hate, and had insinuated that he thought it might cause complications with SPRX's focus and dedication to their mission if he could not allow Nova to be sent on missions without him once in a while.

SPRX told him exactly what he thought of that theory and had yet to miss a mission with Nova since.

Antauri determined it wise to simple observe for the time.

The door opened and Nova and SPRX cautiously exited the robot, scanning their surroundings for any sign of life or threat.

The terrain was shrouded in thick forests making it difficult to see very far ahead. An unnerving silence made their ears ring in search for even the tiniest of sounds. No birds sang, no bugs chirped, even the braches made no rustle as an eerie breeze moved them in a silent dance.

They could hear their own hearts beating, the smallest of gears turning within their cybernetic frame. They could feel the trees and grass growing around them.

"This is weird," SPRX whispered, though it sounded more like a yell given the deafening silence around them.

The wind ceased and even the trees seemed to halt in their very life as if disturbed by the sudden noise.

Nova looked at him uneasily for a moment before moving deeper into the trees.

* * *

Golden eyes watched in curiosity as the metal giant came to rest in Yren-Sil, The Silent Wood. Lifting his snout to the air, he attempted to catch its scent.

Cold. Metal. Lifeless. And yet living. Cold life?

Interesting.

His ears perked forward, listening for the life he could not smell, but still sensed. He was confused and intrigued. Maybe he could get closer. Maybe he should get closer.

He shook his excitement off and trotted down the path he had made on his many treks to the hilltop. He weaved through thick underbrush, nose twitching at the many scents that bombarded him. He could hear small creatures scurrying through the branches above him, but the farther south he journeyed, toward Yren-Sil, the less life he could detect. It was haunting and made his fur rise, but he pressed on.

Soon he found himself wading through the smaller of three rivers that divided the rest of the world from Yren-Sil and fed into the southern ocean at the base of Ēen, his home.

A pang of sorrow filled his chest at the memory of the land he'd left. How many moons had he been away? Nearly ten? And still he had not found the hunting they needed.

He wondered, as he reached the other shore, if he should not abandon his curiosity and return to his home. A sickness had befallen the land and all life now paid the price. He had been sent out in search of food, yet here he stood, not in Ēen, but three days northeast on the bank of Yren-Sil, the Silent Wood. The forbidden land.

Return home with no news of hunting or journey on to discover secrets of the wood?

His ears flicked forward suddenly. In a single heartbeat he found himself back in the river, eyes and ears scanning his surrounding anxiously.

A voice had broken the silence.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	2. Lost and Childish

In a place so quiet, everything was loud. Nova cringed every time a leaf crunched under the weight of her foot. The sound almost echoed off the trees making her feel like the worst scout the universe had ever seen. It didn't help that SPRX had to snicker every time she jumped from a sudden sound. All she wanted was to be done with this mission and rejoin the fight.

They walked for what seemed like hours, though they knew it had only been a good thirty minutes, listening for absolutely any other noise besides what they were making.

SPRX sighed. "Unless you're just looking for some alone time," he said with a smirk, "I'd say it's safe to head back." Again, even the growth of the trees seemed to still at the sound of his voice.

"I would love some alone time. Unfortunately, you're here," Nova said, not bothering to even glance at him.

"Ouch," SPRX said. He picked up a twig and flicked it at her head.

She looked over her shoulder and glared at him, though her glare quickly broke into a smile thanks to the stupid grin her friend was giving her.

"I'm just saying, if there was anything out here we would have heard it by now. Seriously, this place is so quiet! I'm gonna lose it!"

Nova rolled her eyes. "You lost it a long time ago, Sparx." She stopped suddenly. SPRX walked into her and jumped back. He mumbled an apology, but she paid no attention. Something had caught her eye up ahead.

The forest had only grown denser and darker as they journeyed, but something had moved and she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

Carefully, she made her way through the ever-thickening foliage, eyes set ahead as if she actually knew that something was sitting and waiting for her. She quickened her pace without thinking about it, feeling as though her target was getting farther away instead of closer. She was vaguely aware of SPRX talking to her, asking her questions, but her mind was solely focused on… She didn't actually know.

"Nova?"

It was there. She had to get to it.

"Hey, Nova, slow down."

It was calling to her. Calling her mind. She had to see it. She needed it!

She needed it?

"Where are you even going?"

A sense of fear overcame her as she realized she was no longer in control of her own body. She wanted to answer SPRX, but could not form the words. She wanted to stop and head back to the robot, but she couldn't. Whatever had caught her attention was drawing her in and she was helpless to stop it.

And SPRX was blindly following her.

"Okay, Nova, you've had your fun," the red monkey said with a smirk. "Now tell me where we're going."

She didn't answer, but picked up the pace. She was practically running through the trees now.

SPRX frowned. "Are you okay?"

And then she bolted.

"NOVA!"

In a matter of seconds, the forest had swallowed her, leaving SPRX alone in the silence of the trees. His heart pounded in his chest. He willed himself to move, but found that he was frozen where he stood.

She was gone. Just like that. She was gone.

"Nova?" he whispered. The unwelcome feeling of rage began to boil within him, growing stronger by the second, demanding to be released. SPRX's eyes were wide, his fists clenched. He lifted a hand to activate his comm. unit. "Chiro," he said, attempting to control his emotions. "I… I lost Nova."

* * *

Darkness had taken over the wood, though the sun still shone brightly in the sky. A chill ran up his spine as he continued to slink through the underbrush. He could sense something in the trees, though he knew not what it was. The trees seemed determined to keep him away, but he was known for getting into things he was to stay away from.

Perhaps the darkness was yet another attempt to deter him. He shook the thought off and sniffed the air. His ears perked and swiveled, zeroing in on the strange voices emanating from the shadows. He would have to be careful here. Yren-Sil was forbidden for good reason. It had a way of snaking into one's mind and tricking the senses.

"NOVA!"

He paused. The sound was strange, but the meaning was clear. Anger. Hurt. Fear.

Yren-Sil was sick and would destroy anything that might cause injury. Whatever waited in the forest was probably in danger.

Excitement welled within him. He shook it off. Now came the choice between curiosity and common sense. One told him to flee before the wood considered him a disease and eviscerated him. The other urged him on, deeper still into the quiet.

He stepped lightly, wary of any threat that might present itself to him.

Slowly. Slowly.

Instinct and novelty warred within his mind. It was distracting, to put it lightly, but still he trudged on.

His nose twitched as new and delightful smells tingled his senses. He sneezed them out. What secret was so worth keeping in this wood? Why did the trees, even now, so early in his wanderings, seek to either dismiss or dominate him?

He knew he was getting closer to the origin of the sound. He also knew it had started to move away.

He caught its scent on the wind. Male. Both warm and cold. Desperate and angry. But as he got closer, he was surprised to find another scent. The second was female. Fearful, yet delighted. She had traveled away from the male. Why?

The trees loomed over him and he was sure they had moved ever so slightly, making a narrow path that the untrained eye would easily miss.

He sat down, staring at the path. It would be foolish to follow a sick forest's leading, though he couldn't help wondering what lie at the end.

The female's scent caught his attention and he moved away from the path.

He was more than aware of the heaviness in the air. Never had he been in a forest like this. He lowered his head and readied himself to attack.

* * *

SPRX stormed into the control room, crazed with anxiety over losing Nova so suddenly. He didn't care about whatever danger might be lurking in the freaky forest outside, they needed to find Nova fast!

Just as he was about to voice his concerns, a large, gooey glob of who-knows-what hit him in the face. "What… was that?"

Gibson ran toward him, waving his arms frantically and yelling at him to seal the door. Just then a certain silver monkey fell from the ceiling and landed right on top of the scientist's head, laughing uncontrollably. "I got you, Gibson! I got you!" he happily cheered.

SPRX stared in confusion. "Um… Antauri? You okay?"

Antauri's eyes fell on SPRX and he grinned. "Did you see my present, Sparky? I found it in Gibson's lab! It's squishy and fun! Did you like it?" He jumped off of Gibson and hopped around excitedly, looking to SPRX with large, eager eyes.

SPRX blinked once, then looked at Gibson as he pushed himself to his feet with a look of exhaustion. "Hey, Brainstrain, why's he acting like that?"

Antauri beamed at the nickname. "Brainstrain, brainstrain, brainstrain!" he chanted in a singsong voice right before falling to the floor in a fit of laughter.

Gibson groaned. "Right after you and Nova left, he said he sensed something outside. He ran off into the forest and only just came back a few minutes after we got your call. Only he wasn't himself. He's been acting like a hyperactive child since he got back. And as if that wasn't enough, Jinmay's system shut down out of the blue. We had to connect her to the super robot's power cells just to keep her energy reserves from depleting. She won't wake up and Chiro-"

"Gibson, I want a snack!" Antauri said suddenly, sitting on the floor with his arms crossed over his chest. "I want ice cream! Can I have some ice cream?"

"I already told you we're out of ice cream, Antauri. Now please just sit down and be-"

"Can't you buy some?" the silver monkey whined.

"We're in a war, Antauri," replied the scientist, clearly frustrated with the situation. "How many times must I explain that we can't just run to a store for ice cream when we're busy fighting for the freedom of all life in this universe?"

Antauri huffed and screamed, "But I want ice cream!"

"Well, we can't always have what we want, now, can we?" Gibson yelled back.

Chiro and Otto approached, casting sidelong glances at Antauri.

"Sparx," the boy said. "We lost both your signals a few seconds before you called. What happened?"

"I don't know, kid," SPRX answered, feeling his anger build up again. "One second we're talking and the next second she's running like her life depends on it! I thought she might have seen something, but I asked her and she just ignored me! Then the forest got denser and she bolted and I couldn't keep up and, and…" He tried to calm himself down. "We have to find her, Chiro. Something about this place gives me the creeps. We can't just leave her out there!"

Antauri ran to Chiro's side and climbed up his arm and onto his head. He smiled down at SPRX and said, "Don't worry. Nova's probably just playing with the smoky man like I was."

"Smoky man?" Otto asked.

Antauri slapped his hands over his mouth and shook his head. "I forgot. I'm not supposed to tell," he whispered.

Chiro and the monkeys exchanged glances.

Refueling the robot would just have to wait.

* * *

**What do you think?**


	3. Tikaani

"Why do you float around the woods and stuff?" she asked, swinging her arms around carelessly as she walked.

"It's more fun this way," the dark man answered, his voice no more than a raspy whisper. "Would you like to try it, Nova?" He clapped his hands excitedly. "It would make the game so much more fun!"

Nova gawked at him. "You can make me all smoky like you?"

The Smoky Man was just that, a cloud of black smoke that resembled the form of a man. He could solidify himself for a few moments, long enough to play tag or tickle, but he was usually just a mass of thick smoke, floating about wherever he pleased.

"Of course I can!" Smoky exclaimed. "Oh, I would so love for you to join me. It's been such a long time since anyone played with me."

The yellow monkey beamed. "I love playing! But…" her sentence trailed off as she remember leaving SPRX in the woods. He just wasn't fast enough to play tag with her. "I do need to check on my friend and make sure he's okay."

Smoky's shoulders drooped. "Oh, I see. Well, what if we play for a few minutes and then you go see your friends? And then maybe you can bring them all out here and we can play together!"

Nova thought about the offer. She did really want to play a game. The others probably wouldn't play with her and they might even get mad that she'd wandered off. SPRX would be worried, for sure.

"Hmm… I don't know. I should probably go ahead and leave."

"Oh, come now, Nova," the cloud begged. "It will only be for a bit." He offered her a ghostly hand. "You can trust me, can't you?"

Nova smiled at him and then frowned. Something didn't feel right.

A low growl echoed through the air, disturbing the Smoky Man's shape. He quivered and rippled and slowly began to dissolve into nothing. "Run, Nova," he whispered. "Take to the trees and return to your friends."

The growl grew steadily louder and Nova became afraid. But she was supposed to be brave, wasn't she? She looked over her shoulder and met the harsh gaze of two large, glowing, golden eyes, though whomever they belonged to was still shrouded in darkness.

"Smoky? I don't remember how to get back," she whimpered.

This wasn't right. She didn't act like this. She took the chance to look around.

"Smoky?" Finding no sign of her mysterious friend, she returned her eyes to those that watched her.

A sudden chill washed over her and her sight began to fade. She knew the eyes were getting closer. She knew she should be either be fighting or running. She knew she was afraid.

But of what?

Something clamped down on her back, causing her to scream as hot pain ravished her body. She heard a guttural snarl. Her world went black.

* * *

Akiak grunted as he paced, his grey fur glistened in the sunlight with hints of brown and green. He tried to shake off the feelings of dread he harbored, but could not. His brother had been gone too long. He should have accompanied him in his hunt. He should not have agreed to allow him to depart their territory without someone to watch after him.

They needed food, yes, but was their need so great that they had to risk one of their own to find game? They still had the river. There was always something to find at the river, granted it was usually on the small side.

He stretched and yawned. His tension was getting the better of him. Fear was beginning to cloud his mind.

Akiak's ears perked as he heard the familiar voice of his leader calling for him to come near. He huffed and lowered his head as he trudged back down the path he and his brother, Pakak, had made on their many journeys through Ēen's woods to the knoll that looked out over the ocean.

Again Desna called for him. He quickened his pace and in a short time he was trotting through the current settlement of the Tikaani. The scent of freshly broken ground and spilled blood entered his nostrils, making him whine in excitement. He would not deny his hunger for fresh kill.

Their home had been made under thick, intertwined branches that created a canvass to keep them dry in stormy weather. The base of the trees had been exposed in order to build nests for sleeping and keeping warm in the winter. Currently, though, it was warm enough to sleep on open ground, so the exposed roots had become dwellings of play for the young.

Akiak passed many Tikaani, feeling more at peace as he noted their continuation of normal life. They trusted their leader to provide food, shelter and protection for them. They had no concerns of the sickness in their world or the sudden disappearance of large game in their land. They knew not of their impending doom if Pakak did not return soon with news of new hunting grounds.

"Akiak," called Desna.

Akiak lowered his head to his leader, making himself small as a show of respect. "I have come, Desna."

The elder of the Tikaani held his head high, looking upon the younger with a wise and gentle gaze. Truly, he was the most magnificent of the Tikaani, standing a full head taller than all of them with a glossy, black coat that would deny his age were it not for the white that had begun to speckle his snout and chest. "Have you any news from your brother?"

"None, Desna."

Desna's icy, blue eyes seemed to stare into his very thoughts. He tilted his head. "Why do you fear, Akiak? Is Pakak not skilled at the hunt? Is he not strong and able to protect himself?"

Akiak whined, making himself smaller as he did so. "And yet, as his name speaks, his habit is to involve himself in things he should not. It has been ten moons since he left us, Desna. I fear for where he might be or what he might be doing."

"It is not our way to harp on what might be, young one," the elder said softly. "Focus on what is and continue to serve the Tikaani as you so faithfully have. They need hope and not despair in these hard times."

"Yes, Desna."

The elder Tikaani shook his coat. Strands of shimmering hair fell from him, leaving glimmers of light as they floated to the earth below. Their kind was known for their ability to absorb and manipulate the light around them to aid in their hunting. It often left them with a slight glow, making them appear as ghosts in the moonlight.

Desna laid down, allowing his bushy tail to sway lazily over the leaf covered ground. "Return to your work, my friend," he said to Akiak. "Worry not of your brother. He will return to us soon enough."

"Do you know this for sure, Desna?" asked the younger, rising to leave and shaking out his own fur.

"I trust Pakak," was the elder's answer. And with that, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Akiak left and returned to his knoll. He lifted his nose to the sky and breathed deeply, hoping beyond hope that he would be met with his brother's scent.

Something did fill his nostrils. It was not Pakak. It was strange and dark.

His fur stood on end as a low, savage growl bubbled up from the depths of his chest.

* * *

The female shivered in her sleep. The air was pleasant, but she was cold.

Pakak held her gently in his maw as he silently waded across the river, careful not to let her touch the water's surface.

He had seen creatures like her once before, when he was a youngling and still padding after his mother and brother as they journeyed from the western hills to Ēen for hunting. Those creatures had been mischievous and had caused nothing but trouble through their travels. They stole everything and attacked at the most haphazard times.

This one, however, seemed different. She smelled not of impish intentions, but of kindness and determination.

He reached the other side of the river and laid her on the grass in a patch of sunlight, hoping it would help to warm her. He cast a glance toward Yren-Sil and growled when his eyes fell on the shadow that stalked him.

Murky and dim, it scrutinized him with empty black orbs, whispering to his mind to enter its realm once more, to follow the path to the end.

"Bring her back to me, Tikaani whelp," it hissed.

He narrowed his eyes and snarled at the shadow.

It backed away and vanished into the trees.

Pakak opened his mouth and picked the yellow female up once more, feeling the warmth begin to return to her.

He walked in silence, retracing his steps through the underbrush and back to the place he had first seen the giant thing land. There he set her down and curled himself around her, eyes open and ears alert as the sun began to wane and the night set in.

He would not be sleeping this night.


End file.
